This unconventional move aims to instill discipline, ensure punctuality, and maximize legislative productivity within the hallowed halls of the country's legislative body.
Under the proposed measure, Members of Parliament would be required to be present in the chamber by 10:00 am, failing which the doors would be closed, restricting access for the remainder of the session.
This stern approach seeks to impress upon MPs the importance of punctuality and adherence to the established schedule.
Alban made this information known to the house on Friday, December 8,
“At 10 am, the doors will be locked. The Speaker will be in and it will take some time before the doors will be opened. Not that they won’t be opened but it will take some time. And so if you are not able to comply with it, let us all agree that we will start sitting in the afternoon, from 2 p.m. or 4 p.m.; the Committees will have their meetings in the morning; reports will be ready for us to consider in the afternoon; and then by the time we adjourn around 8 p.m., the traffic situation will have improved.
“Your coming to Parliament too will not be that early, so you can decide to leave at noon, and by that time, there would have been less traffic and you won’t consume more fuel and then you can come in. I can see that it is not easy for members to report that early for sitting so the two Caucuses either have joint Caucus meetings or, at your level, discuss these things and come back with proposals. If not, these are the measures that I want to put in place which will take effect from our next meeting.”
Both caucuses have been encouraged to discuss and propose alternative solutions, failure to reach a consensus the proposed measures will be implemented starting the next session.